‘Zombie’ Foreclosures Shrink in Second Quarter

​ Links to Learn more about fair housing at the Be the Change – Fair Housing and You education session featuring Neil Bridgers on Wednesday, Aug, 21.Participants also earn 3 hours CE credit.  To register for the convention and trade expo, click here. WASHINGTON – ATTOM released its second-quarter 2024 Vacant Property and Zombie Foreclosure Report […]

Realtors Fundraise for Disaster Relief

​ News & Media ORLANDO, Fla. – In honor of June’s National Homeownership Month, the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) launched an ambitious $1 million fundraiser for its Realtor® Relief Foundation (RRF) to support families devasted by disasters nationwide. At the same time, Florida Realtors® is actively campaigning for its Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) to […]

Single-Family, Multifamily Growth Trends Diverge

​ News & Media WASHINGTON — Fueled by a lack of existing inventory and pent-up demand, single-family permit growth is occurring across all tracked geographic regions of the nation while the opposite holds true for the multifamily sector, according to the latest findings from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Home Building Geography Index […]

Black Homeownership Up, but Not to 2004 Level

​ SEATTLE – The homeownership rate for Black households has grown faster than average since 2019, but it’s still below the high-water mark reached in 2004, before the Great Recession. Insufficient credit is holding many Black households back from homeownership. Nearly 1 in 4 mortgage applications from Black borrowers — 24% — are denied, according […]

‘Entangled’ Landscapes Soften Outdoor Design

​ News & Media By Melissa Dittmann Tracey NEW YORK – “Entangling” is a new buzzword in landscaping design as outdoor trends move away from clearly defined straight edges and borders. As the name implies, “entangled landscaping” mixes in a blend of plants and hardscapes. “Whether driven by aesthetic requests or as a byproduct of […]

Which AI Chatbot Is Best for Your Business?

​ News & Media NEW YORK – You’ve heard the buzz about AI transforming the real estate industry, but with so many chatbot options available, how can you find the one that best fits your business needs? Make an informed decision about which subscription is worth your hard-earned dollars. Here’s a look at the strengths […]

June is National Homeownership Month

​ ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida Realtors®, along with Realtors® in the Sunshine State and across the U.S., celebrate June as National Homeownership Month. The recognition acknowledges the importance of owning a home and the impact it has on the lives of American families, local communities and the nation’s economic health. This month marks the 22nd anniversary of […]

Stuck in a Starter Home

​ NEW YORK – If buying a home is an inexorable part of the American dream, so is the next step: eventually selling that home and using the equity to trade up to something bigger. But over the past two years, this upward mobility has stalled as buyers and sellers have been pummeled by three […]

Feds Still Weighing Wetlands Case Appeal

​ TALLAHASSEE — The Biden administration said Monday it is still deciding whether to appeal a U.S. district judge’s ruling that the federal government improperly shifted permitting authority to Florida for projects that affect wetlands. U.S. Department of Justice attorneys also urged a federal appeals court to reject a request by Florida to expedite handling […]

Florida Consumer Sentiment Down Slightly in May

​ GAINESVILLE – Consumer sentiment in Florida edged down two-tenths of a point in May to 73.1 from a revised figure of 73.3 in April. This slight decline contrasts with the national sentiment, which plummeted 8.1 points.  “The decline in consumer sentiment was driven by Floridians’ perceptions of current economic conditions. Although inflation is not […]

HUD, VA Announces $78M for Veteran Homelessness

​ WASHINGTON – The Department of Housing and Urban Development and Department of Veteran Affairs on Monday announced a $78 million investment into vouchers to assist veterans in finding housing. The HUD-Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers can help more than 7,000 veterans in their search for permanent housing. The organizations also assist in providing healthcare […]

Rental Market Settling in Most Florida Cities

​ BOCA RATON – Just a year ago, nearly all the measured Florida metros were at double-digit premiums, but now renters in Florida could see cheaper rents as most of the measured cities are showing signs of rents trading either at a discount compared to long-term pricing trends or premiums of less than 1%, according […]